‘Nashville,’ taxpayer-supported TV show, gets another season

CMT announced on Monday there will be a sixth season of the TV show Nashville, which has now received about $57 million in subsidies from state government and Nashville, reports WSMV.

Last year, the show was canceled by ABC and picked up by CMT. It’s now CMT’s top-rated show, and taxpayer money has helped keep it alive.

“I can tell you unequivocally the show Nashville is not a good investment for taxpayers,” said Mark Cunningham with the Beacon Center of Tennessee.

Cunningham said that since the show began in 2012, the city of Nashville and state of Tennessee have given it $57 million in tax incentives. The highest amount was given last year, even though the show was seen by fewer people on cable.

The state gave $8.5 million, while the city gave $1 million, the Nashville Convention Visitors Corp gave $1 million, and Ryman Hospitality gave $500,000.

It is unclear how much money the city and state will give for the upcoming season.

… Last year, officials with the Nashville Convention and Visitors Corp said the show being aired in nearly 100 countries is about the best return on investment money can buy.